Photos: Mammoth avalanche patrol and their World War II cannon

Mammoth Mountain ski patrolman Cliff Klock, right, and Forest Service member Jeff Karl check their safety zone before firing the howitzer.

Mammoth Mountain ski patrolman Cliff Klock prepares to load a 105-millimeter shell into the breach of a 1943 howitzer.

Mammoth Mountain ski patrolman Cliff Klock verifies the coordinates of a target while aiming the howitzer for avalanche control at the resort.

Inside the barrel of the Mammoth Mountain avalanche team’s howitzer.

Forest Service member Jeff Karl removes an artillery shell from a ammunition magazine.

Mammoth Mountain ski patrolman Cliff Klock cleans the barrel of the M101A howitzer before firing live artillery shells into avalanche paths at the top of the ski and snowboard area.

Mammoth Mountain ski patrolman Cliff Klock gets prepared for a mission to fire live artillery rounds into avalanche paths at the top of the resort’s ski area.

Mammoth Mountain ski patrol heads out in the early morning on Sunday to drop charges to mitigate avalanche risk.